#formicidae — Public Fediverse posts

Anyway,

> We show that the two wingless morphs occurring during the root-dwelling phase of the life cycle of the aphid _Paracletus cimiciformis_ follow distinct strategies that entail disparate relationships with ants. On the one hand, the round morph exhibits the plant sap-sucking feeding behavior characteristic of aphids and establishes a typical mutualistic trophobiotic relationship with ants. On the other hand, aphids of the flat morph, although able to feed on plants, are brought inside the ant brood chamber where they are cared for by the ants. Our results show that the latter strategy is accomplished by flat morph aphids by mimicking ant larvae chemical signals and that, besides obtaining ant care, aphids in the brood chamber actively suck hemolymph from ant larvae.
>
> […] By being transported by the ants deep into their brood chambers, aphids of the flat morph would be safe from temperature extremes experienced by other root-dwelling aphids that stay closer to the roots to feed. We suggest that lack of access to plants in the brood chamber may have driven the evolution of the ability to use a different food resource (i.e., hemolymph of ant larvae), at least temporarily. The fact that flat morph aphids inside ant nests give rise, when harsh conditions are over, to four morphs representing life history strategies adapted to different temporal and spatial uncertainties…suggests that the flat morph is at the center of a diversified strategy for survival and recolonization of the aphid host plants.

A. Salazar, B. Fürstenau, C. Quero, N. Pérez-Hidalgo, P. Carazo, E. Font, & D. Martínez-Torres, Aggressive mimicry coexists with mutualism in an aphid, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 112 (4) 1101-1106, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1414061112 (2015). :OpenAccess:

#entomology #insects #ants #aphids #antstodon #bugstodon #Hymenoptera #Formicidae #Hemiptera #Aphididae

The retractable antennae of Mycetophylax fungus-farming ants leave such a distinct scrobe on the head. Photo from a few years ago from Mindo, Ecuador.

This is possibly an undescribed species. Too many ants, not enough taxonomists. #Ants #Insects #Formicidae #Mycetophylax

The retractable antennae of Mycetophylax fungus-farming ants leave such a distinct scrobe on the head. Photo from a few years ago from Mindo, Ecuador.

This is possibly an undescribed species. Too many ants, not enough taxonomists. #Ants #Insects #Formicidae #Mycetophylax

_Lasius_ nuptial flight day!!! _L. neoniger_, I'm pretty sure. These are some of the most common ants I see, but I'd never seen a nuptial flight till now.

I found an alate the moment after she detached her wings!

#bugstodon #antstodon #insects #ants • #Hymenoptera #Formicidae #Lasius

_Lasius_ nuptial flight day!!! _L. neoniger_, I'm pretty sure. These are some of the most common ants I see, but I'd never seen a nuptial flight till now.

I found an alate the moment after she detached her wings!

#bugstodon #antstodon #insects #ants • #Hymenoptera #Formicidae #Lasius

Last night instead of doing laundry I went for a walk by the lake and found some marvellous creatures.

1. Grass spider (_Agelenopsis_)
2. Huge carpenter ant (_Camponotus_) alate
3. _Porcellio_ isopod, half-molted
4. Ridiculous weevil (Cryptorhynchinae)?

#DailySpiderPic #SpidersOfMastodon #spiders #bugstodon #insects #ants #beetles #weevils #crustaceans #isopods

#Araneae #Agelenidae #Hymenoptera #Formicidae #Crustacea #Isopoda #Porcellionidae #Coleoptera #Curculionidae

Last night instead of doing laundry I went for a walk by the lake and found some marvellous creatures.

1. Grass spider (_Agelenopsis_)
2. Huge carpenter ant (_Camponotus_) alate
3. _Porcellio_ isopod, half-molted
4. Ridiculous weevil (Cryptorhynchinae)?

#DailySpiderPic #SpidersOfMastodon #spiders #bugstodon #insects #ants #beetles #weevils #crustaceans #isopods

#Araneae #Agelenidae #Hymenoptera #Formicidae #Crustacea #Isopoda #Porcellionidae #Coleoptera #Curculionidae

Last night instead of doing laundry I went for a walk by the lake and found some marvellous creatures.

1. Grass spider (_Agelenopsis_)
2. Huge carpenter ant (_Camponotus_) alate
3. _Porcellio_ isopod, half-molted
4. Ridiculous weevil (Cryptorhynchinae)?

#DailySpiderPic #SpidersOfMastodon #spiders #bugstodon #insects #ants #beetles #weevils #crustaceans #isopods

#Araneae #Agelenidae #Hymenoptera #Formicidae #Crustacea #Isopoda #Porcellionidae #Coleoptera #Curculionidae

Last night instead of doing laundry I went for a walk by the lake and found some marvellous creatures.

1. Grass spider (_Agelenopsis_)
2. Huge carpenter ant (_Camponotus_) alate
3. _Porcellio_ isopod, half-molted
4. Ridiculous weevil (Cryptorhynchinae)?

#DailySpiderPic #SpidersOfMastodon #spiders #bugstodon #insects #ants #beetles #weevils #crustaceans #isopods

#Araneae #Agelenidae #Hymenoptera #Formicidae #Crustacea #Isopoda #Porcellionidae #Coleoptera #Curculionidae

Last night instead of doing laundry I went for a walk by the lake and found some marvellous creatures.

1. Grass spider (_Agelenopsis_)
2. Huge carpenter ant (_Camponotus_) alate
3. _Porcellio_ isopod, half-molted
4. Ridiculous weevil (Cryptorhynchinae)?

#DailySpiderPic #SpidersOfMastodon #spiders #bugstodon #insects #ants #beetles #weevils #crustaceans #isopods

#Araneae #Agelenidae #Hymenoptera #Formicidae #Crustacea #Isopoda #Porcellionidae #Coleoptera #Curculionidae

#MiteMonday: Did you know? Legally, you can take as many photos of ants farming ridiculously mite-infested aphids as you want. No one can stop you.

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #ants #aphids #Acari #parasitism #Parasitengona #Hemiptera #Aphididae #Hymenoptera #Formicidae

#MiteMonday: Did you know? Legally, you can take as many photos of ants farming ridiculously mite-infested aphids as you want. No one can stop you.

#DailyMitePic #Mitestodon #arachnids #mites #ants #aphids #Acari #parasitism #Parasitengona #Hemiptera #Aphididae #Hymenoptera #Formicidae

This evening I noticed a clump of large carpenter ants (_Camponotus_), normally frantic, just standing around. A closer look revealed they were tending to giant willow aphids (_Tuberolachnus salignus_)!

#InsectSaturday #arthropods #insects #ants #aphids #Hymenoptera #Formicidae #Hemiptera #Aphididae

This evening I noticed a clump of large carpenter ants (_Camponotus_), normally frantic, just standing around. A closer look revealed they were tending to giant willow aphids (_Tuberolachnus salignus_)!

#InsectSaturday #arthropods #insects #ants #aphids #Hymenoptera #Formicidae #Hemiptera #Aphididae

#ants, #antkeeping, #camponotus, #atta, #queenant, #Hymenoptera, #eusocial, #arthropods, #formica, #antnest, #formicarium, #ant, #flyingantday, #lasius, #fireant, #polyrachis, #Dynomyrmex, #Formicidae, #Aculeata, #antalgorithim, #eusocialintelligence, #Doleromyrma, #Leptomyrmex, #mutualism, #Trophobiosis, #Coevolution, #Myrmecophily

Just some stuff to follow for me and maybe you.

#ants, #antkeeping, #camponotus, #atta, #queenant, #Hymenoptera, #eusocial, #arthropods, #formica, #antnest, #formicarium, #ant, #flyingantday, #lasius, #fireant, #polyrachis, #Dynomyrmex, #Formicidae, #Aculeata, #antalgorithim, #eusocialintelligence, #Doleromyrma, #Leptomyrmex, #mutualism, #Trophobiosis, #Coevolution, #Myrmecophily

Just some stuff to follow for me and maybe you.

Ants – with their wise #farming practices and efficient navigation techniques – could #inspire solutions for some #human problems

#Eusociality #Entomology #Science #Ants #Insects #AculeataFormicidae #Aculeata #Formicidae #Hymenoptera

https://www.rawstory.com/ants-with-their-wise-farming-practices-and-efficient-navigation-techniques-could-inspire-solutions-for-some-human-problems/